Zesty Lime & Chocolate Cupcakes.
Nom…..what could happen when someone sends you a luxurious stash of chocolate. Actually it’s what did happen to most of the basket of goodies sent to me by Áine chocolate. But I was good and I kept back one bar to share with you. This delicious bar of Zesty Lime Dark Chocolate. See.
With a large family and my parents joining us for dinner I concocted these Zesty Lime & Chocolate Cupcakes to do my best to stretch the bar.
In truth it would be best to savour it unadorned and unadulterated all by yourself but if you have to share you could do worse than bake these.
The base is a simple chocolate cupcake and I inserted a square of chocolate into the uncooked mixture of each cupcake. I had hoped the chocolate would defy gravity and become a melting pot of heaven in the centre of the cupcake but alas it sank to the bottom, nonetheless it survived and did no harm but wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped for.
To decorate I pulled out my trusty zester but you could use a grater if you don’t have this useful little tool.
Lime and chocolate do make for a great pairing so the buttercream icing was zinged up with the juice of the lime and topped with some of the zesty lime chocolate to add a little more crunch.
Zesty Lime & Chocolate Cupcakes
You will need:
Makes 12 large
165g butter
165g caster sugar
3 eggs
165g self-raising flour
6 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp milk
12 squares of Áine Zesty Lime Dark Chocolate Bar
Method:
Preheat the (fan) oven to 170C / Gas Mark 5
Line the cupcake trays with paper cases.
Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until well combined and softened.
Break an egg into the mixture followed by a third of the flour and repeat until all eggs and flour are mixed in.
Mix in the cocoa powder and milk.
Heap large spoonfuls of the cupcake mixture into the paper cases and push a square of chocolate into the centre if using.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool before icing.
You will need (for the Zesty Lime Buttercream Icing)
250g icing sugar
25g butter
3 tbsp hot water
Juice of lime
Lime Zest to decorate
some Áine Zesty Lime Dark Chocolate to decorate
Method:
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
Add the butter and hot water, mix well and finally add in the lime juice.
Depending on consistency and taste you may wish to add more water or icing sugar.
Spoon generous heaps of buttercream on top of cooled Zesty Lime & Chocolate Cupcakes. Top with some shards of Áine Zesty Lime Dark Chocolate.
(my thanks to Áine chocolate for sending me some goodies to try)
Enjoy!
‘Til next time, Sheila.